Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2012

The Board has determined that new and material evidence exists to reopen the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a psychiatric condition. The case is REMANDED to obtain relevant medical records, schedule the Veteran for a VA examination, and determine the nature and etiology of any existing psychiatric condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, finding that it did not have its onset in service and was not attributable to presumed exposure to herbicides. The Board also found no causal relationship between his hypertension and his service-connected diabetes mellitus or depression.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for hypertension was denied as there is no evidence showing a link between the condition and his military service or any service-connected disability. The Board found that the Veteran failed to report for a scheduled VA examination, which prevented an opinion on whether hypertension may be related to PTSD.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, to include as secondary to a service-connected disability, is being remanded due to the need for additional development and examination.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his service connection claims, including obtaining treatment records and attempting to obtain complete service treatment records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's ischemic heart disease, hypertension, and erectile dysfunction are related to his service-connected conditions. The decision is mixed as it finds some evidence supporting the claims but also acknowledges equipoise in others.

The Veteran's claim for a Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) was granted effective February 18, 2003, due to his service-connected disabilities. The rating assigned is 60 percent.

The Board found no evidence of arthritis, hypertension, or gastritis during service and denied the Veteran's claims for these conditions as they are not presumed to have been incurred in service. The Veteran's current disabilities were not shown to be related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining records from Dr. I.D., and providing a VA examination to assess the Veteran's employability between June 20, 2002 and July 11, 2005.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension is proximately due to his service-connected PTSD.,The Board also found that the Veteran's current left wrist disability was caused by a misdiagnosis of myeloma or melanoma at VA, which delayed treatment and contributed to his current condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to several issues, including obtaining additional medical records and attempting to obtain Social Security Administration (SSA) disability benefits records. The Veteran's hypertension is still under consideration.

The Board has determined that further development is needed for the Veteran's claims of service connection for hypertension, cervical and lumbar spine conditions. The case is REMANDED to the RO via the Appeals Management Center (AMC), in Washington, DC.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and verifying stressor events. The case will be reconsidered after these steps are completed.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary before the claims of service connection for hypertension and a cardiac disability can be decided. The Veteran's claims are being remanded to obtain an addendum opinion from the November 2008 VA examiner or, if unavailable, another appropriate examiner.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD was granted, but the rating for PTSD prior to March 9, 2011 was denied. From that date onwards, a higher rating of 50% was granted.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including scheduling a VA respiratory examination to determine if the Veteran's current obstructive sleep apnea is related to service or a service-connected disability. The examiner should consider the Veteran's assertions and his wife and daughter's statements regarding his sleep habits during service.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded for additional development, including service connection claims and a determination of the impact of all service-connected disabilities on his ability to obtain substantially gainful employment.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to fully and fairly consider the Veteran's claims, including obtaining medical opinions regarding his skin disorder, PTSD, hypertension, and TDIU.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's appeal for PTSD is withdrawn. The Board also found that his eye disorders, including refractive error and ocular conditions, are not service-connected as they are developmental disorders and do not meet the criteria for secondary service connection due to diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's service connection claims for PTSD, a skin disorder of the feet and ankles (including jungle rot), chloracne, dizziness, asthma, and residuals of a right ring finger injury have all been granted. The effective date is to be determined based on the evidence of record.